Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot (26 December 1820 (or 1822) – 18 September 1890), commonly known as Dion Boucicault (Dee-on Boo-se-koh), was an Irish actor and playwright famed for his melodramas. By the later part of the 19th century, Boucicault had become known on both sides of the Atlantic as one of the most successful actor-playwright-managers then in the English-speaking theatre. The New York Times heralded him in his obituary as "the most conspicuous English dramatist of the 19th century."

Biographie

Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot was born and educated in Dublin where he lived on Gardiner Street. His mother was Anne Darley, sister of the poet and mathematician George Darley, thus there was literary aptitude on his mother's side. The Darleys were an important Dublin family influential in many fields and related to the [http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Guinness-8 Guinnesses by marriage]. The identity of his father is questionable. He was probably the son of Dionysius Lardner, a lodger at his mother's house at a time when she was recently separated from her husband, and who supported him financially until about 1840. He went to London and was enrolled at University College School at the age of 13 and also studied for a year at the University of London.